Knitted tights and method of manufacture



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORI AUL S. ISENHOUE.

ATTORNEYS April 30, 1957 P. s. ISENHOUR 2,790,315

KNITTED TIGHTS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Filed July 5, 1955 r 2 She ets-Sheet z A 404 8 /SNIIOUE, INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patene- KNITTED TIGHTSAND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE Paul Stuart Isenhour, Concord, N. C., assignor of onehalf to Marvin G. Wideuhouse, Midland, N. C.

Application July 5, 1955, Serial No. 519,983

26'Claims. (Cl, 66177) This invention relates to improvements in knitted garments and, more especially, to an improved knitted garment of the type commonly known as equestrienne tights and the method of manufacturing the same.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved tights of the character described which are made from a pair of flat blanks knit on a conventional full-fashioned hosiery machine and wherein the blanks are knit in such a manner as to include a pair of reinforced crotch portions in each blank which are interconnected during knitting by -a sinker Wale formed from a backing yarn. After each blank is knit, the blank is partially severed longitudinally thereof between the proximal edges of the reinforced portions. The edges of the reinforced portions of one blank are then seamed to corresponding edge portions of another similar blank to form a garment of the character described which is provided with its own reinforced crotch without the necessity of attaching a separate reinforcing patch to the garment for reinforcing the crotch thereof.

It isanother object of this invention to provide tights of the character described which are formfitting.

It is another object of this invention to provide tights of the-character described wherein the knee portions of the legs thereof are so formed as to permit flexing of the knee of the wearer without placing the corresponding portions of the garment under undue stresses and, on the other hand, since the body of the garment is made fromso-calledsynthetic stretch yarns, the construction of the leg portions of the garment is such as to prevent sagging at the knees of the wearer.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a view of one of the knittedblank s, partial ly broken away, from which the improved tights aremade,

this forming the part of the garment or tights for the. left hip, leg and foot of the wearer and illustrating, in partic ular, the improved crotch reinforcement and. the widening as used for the right hip, leg and foot of thewearer, the,

crotch reinforcement in theblank shown in Figure. 2

merely being opposite hand from the crotch-reinforce;.

ment of the blankshown in Figure I;

Figure 3 is a view showing the. twoblanks whose. free outer selvages have been secured together and whose.

crotch portions have been severed and stitched together, with a substantial portion of one .of theblanks being broken away;

Figure 4 is a front viewof thefinished garment asit worn;

Figure 5 is -a rear view of ;the ,finishedgarment as it is v Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectionabview- 1 taken substantially along the line 66 in Figure 4 and showing how an elastic band is positioned in the turned,

welt forming the waist of the garment.-

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the pair of tights shown in Figures 3-,, 4 andS is formed from a pair of body units or blanks broadly designated at 12 and s 12" and which maybe knit in the identical manner on a conventional full-fashioned hosiery machine, but: are pref? erably knit in left-hand and right-hand sets asshown in Figures 1 and 2. The bodies of the flat knit blanks 12, 12 are preferably, but not necessarily knit of a so-calle'd synthetic stretch yarn.

Forexample, alternate pairs of courses in the-body ofeach blank may be knit' from a backingyarn composed, of two strands of fifteen denier nylon, each twisted thirty;

turns to the left and setat a temperature of: approximate: ly three hundred seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Intervening courses may be-knit from a similar backing yarn in; which the strands are twisted thirty turns per inch to the right and set, at three hundred seventy degrees Fahren u heit'.

The yarns are fed through separate yarn carriers during the-knittingof the blanks 12, 12. Since the knit blanks 12-, 12 are similar in all respects, except beingopposite hand, the formation of 'blank 12 will only be de,-,

scribed in detail and like. portions of the blank12" will hear the same reference characters.

The number of wales, courses, widenings and narrowings to-be described hereinafter are'exemplary anddefine:

preferred proportiona but it is to be distinctly understood that the widenings, narrowings, courses andwales may be varied somewhat without departing from the spirit of the invention. In knitting the blank 12 in Figure 2, it is preferablethat four yarn carriers are used on a full-fashioned.

knittingmachine equipped with the usual knitting instrui v mentalities and a welt turning. device. Since the operation of the knitting instrumentalities, including the yarn carriers and the welt turning device,.is well known inthe art, an illustration thereof is deemedunnecessary.

For purposes of description, it shall be assumed thatthe turned welt W of the blank 12 is four hundred'needley wales in width in which two hundred twenty four courses are knit and after which the welt is turned. and-interknit with a course 15 to form a turned or tubular-welt.- Thebody of the -blank;12 is knit throughout its width with a backing yarn, wherein first and second yarn carriers alternately traverse from selvage to selvage of the blank,

and an additional pair of carriers also cooperates .with:

the first and-second carriers for knitting with respective relatively heavy reinforcing yarns to initially form a pair of juxtaposed elongated relatively narrow reinforced crotch areas and 17, to thereby form selvages 18,19v

at the junctures-of the elongated reinforced areas 16;.17'

which selvages are held in juxtaposition during the knit? ting operation by a sinker Wale formed from the back.-

ing yarn from which the body of the blank 12 is formed;

It is preferable that an inelastic or non-stretch, single ply, multifilarnent, forty denier nylon yarn or similar yarn be used for knitting each of the reinforced crotch areas 16, 17 in which alternate courses are knit with the reinforcing yarns under normal tension and intervening" courses are knit with the reinforcing yarns under relatively loose tension. This permits stretching andrelaxing the fabric" at'the crotch areas 16, 17 in coursewise and Walewise directions or any direction.

are each preferablymaintained at the same widthvof,say,=

twenty two needle wales. After the waist portion 20 is knit, a hip portion 21 is knit in which the body of the stocking is widened, as at 22, in the knitting of approximately one hundred four courses with the number of wales gradually increasing from course to course to ultimately form a relatively broad portion with the knitting of approximately two hundred three subsequent courses of equal length, each of which courses preferably includes four hundred sixty four needle wales. The number of wales may be increased by one at each side edge of the blank for four intervals of five courses each and then increased by one at each side edge of the blank for twenty eight intervals of three courses each at the widening points 22.

During the widening at 22 in the body of the blank 12, the number of wales are also increased from course to course in the reinforced crotch areas 16, 17 each side of the selvages 18, 19, as at 25, 26, respectively. It might be stated here that it is preferable that the distance from the juncture of the selvages 18, 19 to the nearest free selvag'e of the body of the blank at the hip portion 21 embraces approximately one hundred twenty needle wales. It is preferable that the reinforced crotch areas 16, 17 are gradually widened at 25 and 26 at sixteen intervals, the number of needle wales each side of the selvages 18, 19 being increased by two with each interval.

After said two hundred three equal length courses are knit in the hip area 21, the hip area is narrowed adjacent opposite free selvages, as at 30, the number of needle wales decreasing from course to course for approximately seventy-eight courses down to the juncture of an upper thigh portion 32 of the blank 12 wherein the initial course therein includes approximately four hundred forty needle wales. During the narrowing in the lower portion of the hip portion 21 at 30, the reinforced crotch areas 16, 17 are also narrowed at their distal edges, the number of needle wales decreasing by two at six intervals of thirteen courses each or, in other words, for approximately seventy-eight courses until the final course of the reinforced portions 16, 17 is formed a total of approximately eighty four needle Wales wide; that is, the distance between the distal edges of the narrowed portions 35, 36 at the lowermost course therein is equal to approximately eighty four needle wales.

The number of needle wales may be decreased by two at each free side selvage of the blank for six intervals of thirteen courses each at the narrowing points 30.

It will be noted that, after the narrowing has progressed in the reinforced crotch areas 16, 17 for approximately thirty two courses, the pair of carriers which feed the yarns for the respective reinforced areas 16, 17 are caused to ride past each other at the juncture of the areas 16, 17 so as to form a seam lock from overlapping reinforcing yarns at 37. In other words, the yarns used in both the reinforced areas 16, 17 are interknit simultaneously with the backing yarn for approximately four wales at the juncture of the lowermost portions of the areas 16, 17, the overlapped stitches 37 preferably embracing approximately forty six courses.

The reinforced areas 16, 17 preferably terminate at the juncture of the narrowed portion of the hip portion 21 and the upper thigh portion 32. The upper thigh portion 32 is then knit wherein all of the courses are preferably of substantially the same length including approximately four hundred forty needle wales and approximately three hundred one courses.

After the upper thigh portion 32 is knit in the blank 12, the fabric is narrowed, as at 40, by gradually decreasing the number of needle wales in approximately two hundred thirty eight courses and wherein the narrowing occurs at irregular intervals. For example, the number of needle wales may be decreased by two at seven irregular spaced intervals each side of the body of'the stocking in knitting the lower thigh portion 41. The first four of the latter intervals may include forty three courses and the succeeding three intervals may each include twenty two courses so the last few courses, say, sixty six courses in the lower thigh portion 41, each embraces approximately four hundred twelve needle wales.

After the latter equal-length courses are knit to form the lower portion of the lower thigh portion 41, the fabric is widened at each side thereof at 42 after which a few successive courses of equal length are knit and after which the fabric is then narowed at 44 to form a knee pocket 45. At the widenings 42, the number of needle wales are preferably increased by one at twelve intervals of ten courses each or for a total of one hundred twenty courses, whereby the final course in the widened portion 42 of the knee pocket 45 embraces approximately four hundred thirty six needle wales.

It will be noted that the lower narowed portion 44 of the knee pocket 45 also forms the upper portion or calf of the leg of the blank, the number of needle wales increasing by two at each side edge of the blank at forty one intervals of six courses each for a total of approximately two hundred forty six courses so the final course at the narrowing points 44 in the knee pocket 45 and calf embraces approximately two hundred seventy two needle wales. The remaining portions of the blank 12 are knit in the manner of any conventional full-fashioned hose in so far as the fashioning is concerned and, of course, the reinforcing in the foot portion of the blank may be arranged in any desired or conventional manner.

In this instance, the lower leg portion, which is indicated at 47, is knit to include approximately one hundred fifty five courses, each of which embraces approximately two hundred seventy two needle wales. The blank is then widened as at 50, to form an ankle or upper heel area or portion 51, the widenings 50 preferably including forty intervals with the number of needle wales increasing by one at each side edge of the blank at each interval. The first eleven of the latter intervals may occur every five courses, the next succeeding ten intervals may occur every three courses, the next sixteen intervals may occur in every second course or in alternate courses and the next three intervals may occur every three courses.

Thereafter, approximately thirteen equal-length courses, embracing approximately three hundred fifty two needle wales, are knit and it is preferable that reinforced areas are knit adjacent opposite free side selvages of a heel pocket portion indicated at 52, a foot 53 and a toe 54 during the knitting of these portions from the body yarn or backing. Since the reinforced areas 55, 56, 57 may be of any desired shape, a detailed description of the manner in which the reinforced portions 55, 56, 57 are formed will not be given.

After the ankle portion 51 has been knit in the manner described, the said thirteen courses knit thereafter form part of the heel pocket 52. Also, in the heel pocket 52, the fabric is then narrowed at 60 on opposite sides thereof for approximately fifty-nine courses so the foot portion 53 knit thereafter embraces a plurality of coursesof uniform length each including approximately two hundred sixty-eight needle wales. The fabric is then narrowed at 61 to form the toe portion 54 which may embrace approximately one hundred thirty-four courses and wherein the number of needle wales are gradually decreased until approximately twelve needle wales remain in the first course in forming a tab 62. The tab 62 prefer ably embraces twenty-four courses thereby completing the knitting of the blank 12.

From the above, it is apparent that the knitting operation on the full-fashioned hosiery machine will form free selvages 65, '66 at the free side edges thereof and, although the backing yarn is knit all the way across the fabric from one selvage 65 to the other 66, the selvages 18, 19 are also formed on the proximal edges of the reinforced areas 16, 17 with a sinker. wale formed of the backing yarn between the selvages 18, 19.

-As,.is the usual practice, the; widening and narrowing points are spaced closely adjacent the selvages 65, 66 of the blank and, in this instance, twenty-two needles are covered" at the widening points 22 and the narrowing points 30, 40 and 44; three needles are covered at the widening points 42 and 50, and eighteen needles are covered at the narrowing points of}. The term covered is used to identify the number of needle wales in the courses between the narrowing points or the widening points and'the adjacent free selvages of the knitted blank.

After the blanks 12, 12' are knit in substantially the manner heretofore described, the free outer selvag'es 65, 66 of each blank 12, 12 are seamed or stitched together throughout the length thereof in any conventional manner to form respective longitudinally extending seams S, S on the respective blanks 12, 12' (Figure 5) so each of the blanks 12, 12 will be of generally tubular configuration.

After the blanks have been seamed, they are inspected and then each of the blanks 1-2, 12 is severed along the sinker Wale between the selvages 18, 19 from the turned upper edge of the Welt W down to the point at which the overlapping stitches 37 are formed. Blanks 12, 12' are then paired to insure that they are of corresponding lengths and the selvages 18, 19 of the blank 12 are stitched to the respective selvages 18, 19 of the blank 12' to form a crotch seam C and thereby form the knit garment or pair of tights as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 from a pair of the blanks 12, 12'. It should be noted that a small opening '70 (Figure 6) is formed in the inner portion of the turned welt W at the points at which each of the seams S, S, C extend through the welt W in order to maintain the tubular configuration in the turned welt W. One end of a double-ended elastic waist band 71, preferably made from a heat resistant nylon material interwoven with elastic yarn, is then inserted in one of the openings 70 and passed entirely through the tubular welt portions W of the two interconnected blanks 12, 12, after which opposite ends of the elastic band are suitably secured together.

After the elastic band 71 has been inserted in the turned welt W, the ga ment is pre-set, either in loose form or while mounted on a specially constructed form, this pre-setting being carried out during the-course of the usual washing and dyeing operations at a temperature of from 210 to 180 F. The garment is then passed through a final boarding process in a steam box, while it ismounted on a form, after which it is dried and removed from the form to complete the process of manufacturing the improved tights. Of course, the usual decalcomania may be applied to the garment after which it may be packaged for shipment.

It will be noted in Figure 3 that, when the seam C is formed, this causes the overlapping or binding stitches 37 of the respective blanks 12, 12' to extend in substantially right angular relation to the seam C at the lowermost portion of the crotch. During the knitting of the blank 12,

the stretch yarns used in knitting the body of the blank 1 remain under constant tension. However, alternate courses formed from the heavy yarn used in the reinforced crotch areas 16, 17 are loose or have a forty thousandths rocker and intervening courses inthe crotch areas are of normal tension. This arrangement provides both coursewise and walewise stretch of the fabric at the crotchareas- 16, 17. it is contemplated that the blanks 12, 12 may be formed with plain stitches or with picot or lace stitches in either the body of the blank or the crotch areas 16, 17 or both, as desired.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved pair of tights made from two knitted blanks in each of which juxtaposed reinforced crotch areas are formed whichare subsequently separated and wherein the separated selvages of the one blank areseamed to corresponding sepa: rated selvages of theotherublank so the finishedpair-of tights has a reinforced crotchformed integnally ,therewith,

and also. wherein, upon stitchingithe ,opptififidqfree,sid i. selvages 65, 66 of the individual, blanks together, ,a k pocket 45 is formed in each of the blanks which is' en larged as compared to the adjacent portionsof, the ,le g portions of the blanks to prevent, the fabrichi'n thekneer from being placed under undue stresses with thegflexinjg of the knee of. the wearer and, since the, body portionshof the blanks aremade from. stretch yarn, this will" insure that, upon the wearer straightening its legs, the blank returns to its original form. thereby avoiding bagging? at the knees of the wearer.

The term stretch yarn or stretchable yarn as, used.v herein refers to synthetic yarn, preferably nylon, which. has been so treated as to be highly stretchable or. to render the fabric made therefrom highly stretchable. It, includes yarns which have been crirhped and yarns whi'ch;-, have been subjected to twistingandsetting operations to increase the elasticity of the yarns and. it alsoincludes yarns which have been twisted, ort'otherwise, treatedto render them lively whereby fabric made therefrom: is highly stretchable even though, the .yarnsthemselves are. not highly stretchable.

In the drawings and specification there hasbeen set. forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, al-. though specific terms are employed, they are used in a. generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes. of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in. the claims.

I claim:

1. A method of making a two legged garment com prising the steps of knitting each of ,a' pair. of fiat blanks having integral waist, hip, leg and foot portionsknit with body yarn while knitting a. pair of contiguous elongated.- narrow reinforced crotch portionswith separate rein-, forcing yarns at a position intermediate the opposite side edges of the waist and hip portions andformingselvages at the proximal edges of the. crotch portions, securing. together the opposite side, edges of .each. blanktoform a pair of tubular blanks having closed tubular; waist,.hip, leg and foot portions, then severing the body yarn only. of each blank between adjacent selvages -formed of-thereinforcing yarns and then securing the selvages'of the. reinforced crotch portions of one of theblanks to cor-. responding selvages at the reinforced crotchportions of;- the other of said blanks to form a-knit: garment having; closed tubular waist and hip. portionswit-h depending leg and foot portions. i

2. A method of making a two-legged garment .comprising the steps of knitting each of a pair of flatnblanks, having integral waist, hip, leg and foot portionsknit. with body yarn while knitting.acontiguouspair of elongated narrow reinforced crotch; portions with separate..- reinforcing yarns at a position intermediate the oppositeside edges of the waist and hip portions and. forming, selvages at the proximal edges of the crotch portions, then severing that portion of each blank-between ,adja? cent selvages formed of the reinforcing yarns, securing together the opposite side edges of each blank to form a pair of tubular blanks having closed tubular leg and foot portions open at saidrselvages ofthecrotch portions formed from the reinforcing yarns,. and securing together the selvages of the reinforced crotch, portions. of one of the blanks to corresponding .sclvages at, the. reinforced crotch portion of the other.ofsaidblankstov form a knit garment having closed tubular. waistand hip portions with contiguous leg and foot portions.

3. A method of making a. two-legged garment 001111, prising the steps of knitting eachof a pair of flat-blanks. by forming a turned welt withbody yarn, while knitting, a relatively narrow elongated crotqhpm' ion inpff-centerf relation to the longitudinal aXis oftheblank Wiflfl l'6i!l7. forcing yarn, then knitting a relatively broadlarea from. the body yarn to form-a hip portion ofsuhstant-ially greater width than the welt ,ptnft'ion,vvlril atgontinuirig I 7 knitting of the reinforced crotch portion, then knitting a thigh portion by gradually reducing the number of wales in certain courses for a substantial number of courses, then reducing the number of wales in certain courses duringthe knitting of a plurality of courses to form a leg portion, then fashioning ankle, heel, foot and toe portions on each blank all while forming free selvages at the opposite side edges of the corresponding blank, securing together the free selvages at the opposite side edges of said blanks to form a pair of tubular blanks, then severing each blank longitudinally thereof substantially midway of the crotch portion for a substantial portion of the length of the crotch portion thereby to form separated crotch portions, and securing the separated crotch portions of one of said blanks to corresponding separated crotch portions of the other of said blanks to form a knit garment having closed tubular welt and hip portions with dependingtubular leg and foot portions.

4. A method of making a two-legged garment comprising the steps of knitting each of a pair of fiat blanks by forming a turned welt from synthetic stretchable body yarn while knitting a pair of contiguous relatively narrow elongated crotch areas in off-center relation to the longitudinal axis of the blank with a pair of reinforcing yarns so as to form selvages at the proximal edges of the crotch areas, then knitting a relatively broad area from the body yarn to form waist and hip portions of substantially greater width than the welt portion while also increasing the width of the reinforced crotch area at the distal edges of the reinforced crotch areas, then knitting a thigh portion by gradually reducing the numherv of wales in certain courses for a substantial number of courses, then forming a knee pocket portion by gradually increasing the number of wales at each selvage of the blank in certain courses, then reducing the number of wales in certain courses during the knitting of a plurality of courses to form a leg portion, then fashioning ankle, heel, foot and toe portions on each blank all while forming free selvages at the opposite side edges of the corresponding blank, securing together the free selvages at the opposite side edges of said blanks to form a pair of tubular blanks, then severing each blank by severing only the backing yarn at the juncture of the selvages of the crotch areas for a substantial portion of the length of the crotch areas thereby to form separated selvages at the junctures of the crotch areas, and securing the separated selvages of one of said blanks to corresponding separated selvages of the other of said blanks to form a knit garment having closed tubular waist and hip portions with contiguous leg and foot portions and enlarged knee portions.

5. A two-legged knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit blanks formed with stretchable body yarn and each having integral turned-welt, hip, leg and foot portions formed with stretchable body yarn and a pair of contiguous symmetrical reinforced crotch portions formed with non-stretchable yarn integral with the welt, waist and hip portions of said blank, said crotch portions being formed with selvages at their proximal edges, the junctures of said selvages being disposed in off-set relation to the longitudinal axis of each blank, whereby each blank may be severed between adjacent reinforced crotch portions to form separated selvages extending longitudinally of the blanks intermediate the side edges thereof and in oif-set relation to the longitudinal axes thereof, each of said blanks having free selvages at opposite side edges thereof secured together to form seams extending longitudinally of the garment at the back thereof, and the selvages of the crotch portions of one of the blanks being secured to corresponding selvages of the crotch portions of the other of the blanks to form tubular waist and hip portions with closed tubular leg and foot portions depending therefrom.

'6; A s tructure according to claim wherein certain spaced courses formed from the non'stretchable yarn in the crotch portions are knit relatively loose as compared to intervening courses knit therebetween from the non stretchable yarn.

7. In a structure according to claim 5, said pair of blanks being secured together in such a manner as to form a continuous tubular portion around the upper edge of the garment from the turned welt portions, and an elastic band positioned in the continuous tubular portion thus formed.

8. A two-legged knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit blanks each having integral turned-welt, waist, hip, leg and foot portions, a pair of contiguous substantially symmetrical reinforced crotch portions integral with the welt, waist and hip portions of each blank andbeing formed with selvages at their proximal edges, the junctures of said selvages being disposed in off-set relation to the longitudinal axis of each blank, whereby each blank I may be severed between adjacent reinforced crotch portions to form separated selvages extending longitudinally of the blank intermediate the side edges thereof in off-set relation to the longitudinal axis thereof, each of said blanks having free selvages at opposite side edges thereof secured together to form seams extending longitudinally of the garment at the back thereof, and the selvages of the crotch portion of one of the blanks being secured to corresponding selvages at the crotch portions of the other of the blanks to form closed tubular Waist and hip portions with closed tubular leg and foot portions depending therefrom.

9. A structure according to claim 8 wherein the lower portions of adjacent crotch portions in each blank are overlapped for a few wales.

10. in a structure according to claim 8, said pair of blanks being secured together in such a manner as to form a continuous tubular portion around the upper edge of the garment from the turned welt portions, and an elastic band positioned in the continuous tubular portion thus formed.

11. A two-legged knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit blanks secured together to form closed waist and hip portions having depending therefrom a pair of closed tubular leg and foot portions, a reinforced crotch portion knit integral with each of the blanks and extending from the upper edge of the waist at the front of the garment around the crotch and to the upper edge of the waist at the back of the garment.

12. A structure according to claim 11 wherein the diameter of the leg portions of the garment at the knees is substantially greater than the diameters of the adjacent portions of the leg portions above and below the knee.

13. A structure according to claim 11 wherein each blank is made at least in part from synthetic stretchable yarn, the tubular leg portion having an enlarged knee portion of greater diameter than the portions of the tubular leg portion adjacent the upper and lower extremities of the knee portion.

14. A structure according to claim 11 wherein the tubular leg portion of each blank is formed with a knee portion having courses therein knit from highly stretchable yarn and the length of each course in the knee portion being greater than the length of the courses in the portions of the tubular portions immediately above and below the knee portion.

15. A two-legged knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit blanks each formed from body yarn and secured together to form closed waist and hip portions having depending therefrom a pair of closed tubular leg and foot portions, a crotch portion formed with reinforcing yarn knit integral with each of the blanks and extending from the upper edge of the waist at the front of the garment around the crotch and to the upper edge of the waist at the back of the garment, and the reinforcing yarn being knit in overlapping relation at the lowerrnost portion of the crotch portion of each blank.

yarn in at least those courses in the waist and hip portions of each blank is a synthetic stretchable yarn, with the reinforcing yarn being non-stretchable.

17. A structure according to claim 16 wherein the stitches formed from the reinforcing yarn in alternate courses are elongated as compared to the stitches formed from the reinforcing yarn in intervening courses.

18. A knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit blanks formed with body yarn and secured together to form tubular waist and hip portions, and a pair of tubular leg and foot portions, each blank including a crotch portion at the juncture of the leg and hip portions, each crotch portion including reinforcing yarns knitted together and with body yarn for reinforcement.

19. A two-legged knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit blanks secured together to form closed waist and hip portions having depending therefrom a pair of closed tubular leg portions, and a reinforced crotch portion knit integral with each of the blanks and extending substantially from the upper edge of the Waist at the front of the garment around the crotch and substantially to the upper edge of the waist at the back of the garment.

20. A two-legged knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit body units secured together to form closed waist and hip portions having depending therefrom a pair of closed tubular leg portions, and a reinforced crotch portion knit integral with each of the body units and extending substantially from the upper edge of the waist at the front of the garment around the crotch and substantially to the upper edge of the waist at the back of the garment.

21. A knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit body units formed with body yarn and secured together to form tubular Waist and hip portions, and a pair of tubular leg portions, each body unit including a crotch portion at the juncture of the leg and hip portions, each crotch portion including reinforcing yarns knitted together and with body yarn for reinforcement.

22. A knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit blanks secured together to form closed waist and hip portions, and a reinforced crotch portion knit integral with each of the blanks and extending substantially from the upper edge of the waist at the front of the garment around the crotch and substantially to the upper edge of the waist at the back of the garment.

23. A knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit body units secured together to form closed waist and hip portions, and a reinforced crotch portion knit integral with each of the body units and extending substantially from the upper edge of the waist at the front of the garment around the crotch and substantially to the upper edge of the waist at the back of the garment.

24. A knit garment comprising a pair of similar knit body units formed with body yarn and secured together to form tubular waist and hip portions, each body unit having a crotch portion, and each crotch portionincluding reinforcing yarns knitted together and with body yarn for reinforcement.

25. A method of making a garment comprising the steps of knitting each of a pair of flat blanks having integral waist and hip portions knit with a body yarn while knitting a pair of contiguous elongated narrow reinforced crotch portions with separate reinforcing yarns at a position intermediate the opposite side edges of the waist and hip portions and forming selvages at the proximal edges of the crotch portions, securing together the opposite side edges of each blank to form a pair of tubular blanks having closed tubular waist and hip portions, then severing the body yarn only of each blank between adjacent selvages formed of the reinforcing yarns, and then securing the selvages of the reinforced crotch portions of one of the blanks to corresponding selvages at the reinforced crotch portions of the other of said blanks to form a knit garment having closed tubular waist and hip portions.

26. A method of making a garment comprising the steps of knitting each of a pair of body units having waist and hip portions knit with a body yarn while knitting a pair of contiguous elongated narrow reinforced crotch portions with separate reinforcing yarns and forming selvages at the proximal edges of the crotch portions, then severing the body yarn only of each body unit between adjacent selvages formed of the reinforcing yarns, and then securing the selvages of the reinforced crotch portions of one of the body units to corresponding selyages at the reinforced crotch portions of the other of References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Goodman Dec. 28, 1954 Garrou et al. Apr..15, 1955 

